Improvement in rotary steam-engines



anni sont @anni @time WILLIAM BARRY, or castration, NEW YORK.

Letters Patent No. 113,005, data Maren 2sy 1871.

IMPROVEMENT lN ROTARY STEAM-ENGINES.

The Schedule referred to in these `Letters' Patent and making part of the lame.

vwith a' conical face, in which is agrooveor channel for the steam with taper sides, invwhich groove h'ts a tapered stop forseparati'ng the live steam from the exhaust, projecting through a case having an inner face corresponding to and fitting around the hub, in which are two pistons, on which the steam acts, tted in grooves traversing the steam-groove, and arranged for sliding ont, to pass the stop, and in again, .by the action oi' a-camfroove, or a com and a spring.

The tapered groove and stop are 'employed as the.

most ready means of maintaining tight joints as they wear, by forcing the stop in further, and the tapered hub and inclosingcase alSo'aiTOrd a means of keeping the joints tight as the partswear, by moving the hub endwise, and by this movement the wear-ot' the pistons is also taken up, all as hereinafter described.

Figure l is a sectional elevation of `my improved engine taken on the line :t :c of fig. 2.

Figure 2 is a section onv line y y ot' fig. 1.V

Similar lletters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

-A represents a hub or wheel, mounted on a shaft, B, arranged in suitable bearings.

Said hub has a beveled face, in which is an annular groove, O, having oblique sides, arranged so that it is narrower at the bottom than vthe top.

This hn'b is fitted within an exterior case, D, the inner wall of which is beveled to correspond with thefa'ce of the hub, so that end pressure on the shaft B will cause the two to worktogether steam-tight, and, by adjusting the hub-and shaft from time to time lproperly, the wear may be taken up.

The case D is provided with a gate or stop, E, which has a tapered end corresponding to the form of the groove C inthe hub, and projects through a radial mortise insaid case intol the groove, as shown, for cuttingr of-theow of the steam from the live steam-to the exhaust-ports.

This stop is capable of adjustment, and a set-screw, F, is provided, in a suitable support, G, for forcing it in as it wears away.

H represents the pistons for taking the pressure of the steam.

t They are arranged in slots I cnt across the face of the hub,a little deeper than the groove G, and with the bottoms parallel with' the transverse line of the face ofthe hub, or the inner face ofthe case.

For passing the stop E these pistons are drawn out by the cam K placed opposite the stop, and acting on the projections L on the pistons.

vIn this example they are represented with springs y M for forcing them back again; but it may be done by cams or other suitable devices.

It isbelieved that this arrangement provides the simplest means of making steam-tight joints without y packing, and with the least amount of friction.

The hub and the stop E may be adjusted while in motion, and the adjustment of the hub also adjust-s against the inner side of the case.

Instead of makingthe pistons to move inand'out laterally across the groove G, they may be made to work radially from the inner part of the hub, which may be suitably hollowed for the purpose.

i I may also arrange the stationary stop E in the hub in this way, and the movable pistons to work radially through the case.

By another modification the hub may be made stationary, and the case to revolve, in which case the steampipes N and exhaust-pipes 0 would be attached to the hub.

the pistons `H forkeeping the outer ed es tight The mortise through the case D, for the stop E, l

should be slightly longer than the width of the stop, so that the latter may move laterally with the hub as the hub is moved for taking' up the wear; but the groove may be so formed as not to require this; fer instance, it' made with a vertical or nearly vertical wall on the side next the greatest diameter of the hub, and the bottom on astraight line from this wall, terminating at the face of the hub, near the smallest end, forming a groove'with only two walls, and the stop made wider than the bottom of the groove, the stop would always tit both walls snugly without lateral movement, although the hub be moved to keep /the joint between it and the case tight.

I prefer, however, the form of groove here shown ora V-groove, to the one above described, thevstop being arranged as stated for moving laterally with the hub.

In this example, two steam-ports and two exhaustportsare represented, for turning the shaft in either direction, the said ports tohave suitable valvesvor other stops, to be used as required.

Having thus described myl invention,

1 claim as newand desire to secure by Letters v Patent- Ihe combination of the bevel-faced grooved hub, the bevel-faced case, stop E, and thesliding pistons H, all substantially as specih'ed.

Witnesses: WM. BARRY.

D. OBRIEN, F. S. SHUMAN. 

